Blood donors 'should be told if they are HIV positive'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A legislator has called on the government to
\ndrop a policy which forbids the Red Cross to inform blood donors
\nif they are infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).<\/p>\n
Nafsiah Mboi told a House of Representatives hearing with
\nMinister of Health Sujudi Tuesday that donors should be told if
\nthey are HIV positive so they could make amends for their past
\nsexual behavior and prevent their conditions getting worse or
\ninfecting others.<\/p>\n
She said the World Health Organization (WHO) and the
\nCoordinating Minister of People's Welfare's office had ruled that
\nblood donors had a right to know if they were HIV positive.<\/p>\n
Nafsiah was commenting on a blood donor in Jakarta who had
\ndied recently of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). She
\nsaid the donor had been informed that he was infected after
\ndonating blood 33 times.<\/p>\n
Despite the WHO rule, the Ministry of Health's policy of
\nanonymity forbids the Red Cross to tell blood donors if they have
\ntested positive for HIV.<\/p>\n
Sujudi defended the policy, saying that without
\nconfidentiality many people would stop donating blood.<\/p>\n
\"If we let them know, people will consider that blood
\ndonations are HIV screening tests,\" Sujudi said.<\/p>\n
He said the Red Cross did not use blood from HIV positive
\ndonors. But promised that the government would review the
\ncontroversial policy.<\/p>\n
In Ujungpandang yesterday, the wedding party of one of three
\nHIV positive women turned sour after her husband's family refused
\nto welcome the new couple home.<\/p>\n
HIV awareness campaigner Zulkifli Amin told The Jakarta Post
\nthat the family refused to accept Syamsuddin and his wife Nuraeni
\nbecause they had disgraced the family.<\/p>\n
Nuraeni's family had earlier refused to let the couple into
\ntheir home.<\/p>\n
Nuraeni, Asni and Wiwiek, former prostitutes who are HIV
\npositive, married over the weekend at the Mattorodeceng
\nrehabilitation center.<\/p>\n
The weddings have sparked controversy, with the Council of
\nUlemas local chairman Sanusi Baco saying that they should not
\nmarry because it would be disastrous if they had children. The
\nthree couples have vowed to remain childless. (39\/31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/blood-donors-should-be-told-if-they-are-hiv-positive-1447893297",
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